Abundance, distribution and characteristics of microplastics in the North and South Atlantic Ocean.

Microplastics are both pervasive in the marine environment and highly detrimental to it. In this study, we investigate the abundance, distribution, and characteristics of microplastics in surface waters on a transect spanning 6 major ocean current regions in the Atlantic Ocean from Scheveningen (the Netherlands) to Montevideo (Uruguay). 50 surface trawls were completed with a manta net (mesh 500 μm, cod 333 μm) and particles were analyzed in the laboratory including polymer type identification with ATR-FTIR spectroscopy.

Towards the Identification of New Biomarkers in Saliva and Serum for Treatment Monitoring of Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome: A Liquid Proteomic Approach.

Equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) is a common condition in horses. This study explores the use of liquid proteomics to identify new biomarkers in saliva and serum to monitor EGUS treatment. The proteomes of horses with EGUS before and after a successful treatment with omeprazole were analysed.

Decreased Circulating Red Cell Mass Induced by Intravenous Acepromazine Administration Alters Viscoelastic and Traditional Plasma Coagulation Testing Results in Healthy Horses.

Coagulopathy is common in equine critical illness, with its early recognition being crucial for patient management and prognosis. In vitro viscoelastic (VE) hypercoagulability with decreased RCM/PCV has been demonstrated in dogs but not horses. Our objective was to evaluate the effects of acepromazine-induced (0.

Determining the Pharmacokinetic Properties of Two Different Doses of Meloxicam in Barred Owls ().

Anthropogenic activities have negatively affected many birds, including owls. The Wildlife Hospital of Louisiana (WHL) has seen a 3.2-fold increase in barred owl () cases over the past eight years (2023, 134; 2015, 42).

Novel ryanodine receptor 1 (RYR1) missense gene variants in two pet dogs with fatal malignant hyperthermia identified by next-generation sequencing.

Objective: Evaluate a precision medicine approach to confirm a tentative diagnosis of fatal malignant hyperthermia (MH) in isoflurane-anesthetized pet dogs by identifying novel risk variants in known MH susceptibility genes.

Study Design: Retrospective case series.

Animals: A male Pit Bull mix aged 7 years (case #1), a male Golden Retriever aged 12 months (case #2) and the dam and sire of case #2.

Nuclear versus cytoplasmic IKKα signaling in keratinocytes leads to opposite skin phenotypes and inflammatory responses, and a different predisposition to cancer.

IKKα is known as an essential protein for skin homeostasis. However, the lack of suitable models to investigate its functions in the skin has led to IKKα being mistakenly considered as a suppressor of non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) development. In this study, using our previously generated transgenic mouse models expressing exogenous IKKα in the cytoplasm (C-IKKα mice) or in the nucleus (N-IKKα mice) of basal keratinocytes, we demonstrate that at each subcellular localization, IKKα differently regulates signaling pathways important for maintaining the balance between keratinocyte proliferation and differentiation, and for the cutaneous inflammatory response.

The microRNAome of Strongylus vulgaris larvae and their excretory/secretory products with identification of parasite-derived microRNAs in horse arterial tissue.

The equine bloodworm, Strongylus vulgaris, is a highly pathogenic parasite causing potentially fatal vascular and intestinal damage. Parasites express and release microRNAs (miRNAs) for internal regulation and to modulate host immunity. The complete set of miRNAs expressed by S.

Development and Integration of Models for Teaching Ram Breeding Soundness Examinations in Veterinary Education.

Proficiency with ram breeding soundness examinations requires competency with palpation, a skill that can be difficult to teach and assess. There are limited small ruminant clinical skills models available, despite the advantages they offer in veterinary education. We developed reusable models for teaching ram breeding soundness examinations, focusing on scrotal assessment and palpation.

A Comparison of Machine-Graded (ChatGPT) and Human-Graded Essay Scores in Veterinary Admissions.

Admissions committees have historically emphasized cognitive measures, but a paradigm shift toward holistic reviews now places greater importance on non-cognitive skills. These holistic reviews may include personal statements, experiences, references, interviews, multiple mini-interviews, and situational judgment tests, often requiring substantial faculty resources. Leveraging advances in artificial intelligence, particularly in natural language processing, this study was conducted to assess the agreement of essay scores graded by both humans and machines (OpenAI's ChatGPT).

Development and Implementation of a Basic Veterinary Ultrasound Curriculum.

Diagnostic ultrasound is an important imaging modality in veterinary medicine. Surveys of veterinarians suggest that ultrasound is a desired clinical competence and that new graduates are expected to practice basic ultrasound skills. This report describes the development and implementation of a basic ultrasound training program in the core curriculum at Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine (ISU-CVM).

Investigation of Neurophobia amongst North American Veterinary Students and Development of a Veterinary Neurophobia Scoring Tool (VetNeuroQ).

"Neurophobia" is a phenomenon in human medical education where students develop negative attitudes towards neurology, impeding student learning and future clinical practice. While suspected to exist in veterinary medical education, it remains unstudied. The main objectives of this study were to examine North American veterinary student attitudes towards neurology and neurology education and explore elements that might contribute to neurophobia.

Feasibility and Acceptability of a Multiple Mini-interview Format for Evaluation of Small Animal Internal Medicine Residency and Internship Candidates.

The multiple mini-interview (MMI) format assesses candidates' performance in various competencies and is becoming commonplace in medical school and residency programs. This interview format compares to and surpasses the traditional interview in validity, reliability, feasibility, and acceptability. We developed a MMI to assess resident and specialty intern candidates for Small Animal Internal Medicine over a 3-year period.

Using a Positive Psychology Lens to Understand How Veterinary Medicine Learning Contexts Promote Student Thriving and Inhibit Frustration.

To develop a veterinary workforce equipped for long-term professional success, educational institutions must prioritize their students' well-being. Most approaches focus on building assets within the individual, like stress management, to limit negative outcomes, like burnout. Our research proposes a positive psychology-based model of student thriving that instead emphasizes the pervasive role of the social climate within a context.

Evaluating the Experiences of Novice Veterinary Clinical Practice Educators: A Qualitative Reflection on a UK Training Program.

Within the evolving landscape of veterinary education in the United Kingdom, an increasing shift toward a distributed model of instruction necessitates that clinicians who assume the role of novice educators, receive training as clinical educators. The University of Surrey has pioneered a training program aimed at promoting understanding and application of educational theory in veterinary educator identity development. This study investigated the reflections of novice educators upon conclusion of their training to delineate the program's efficacy and identify areas of educator training necessitating further research and enhancement.

Cross-Sectional Survey of Student and Faculty Experiences with Feedback and Assessment of Clinical Competency on Final Year Rotations at American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) Member Institutions.

The clinical experiences, feedback, and assessment that veterinary students receive during final year rotations have a significant impact on whether they will achieve entry-level competency at the time of graduation. In this study, a cross-sectional survey was administered to American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) member institutions to collect baseline data about current feedback and assessment practices to identify key target areas for future research and educational interventions. Responses were received from 89 faculty and 155 students distributed across 25 universities.

Development and Use of the Competency-Based Veterinary Education (CBVE) Assessment Toolkit.

The Competency-Based Veterinary Education (CBVE) Analyze Working Group of the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) Council on Outcomes-based Veterinary Education (COVE) has developed a CBVE assessment toolkit. The toolkit is designed to provide curriculum committees and individual instructors with an opportune intersection of the CBVE domains of competence and various assessment techniques. College-wide curriculum committees can use the toolkit to guide programs of assessment in the larger unit, ensuring that assessment methods are aligned with intended learning outcomes throughout the curriculum.

Assessment of equine intestinal epithelial junctional complexes and barrier permeability using a monolayer culture system.

Gastrointestinal disease is a leading cause of death in mature horses. A lack of modeling has impeded the development of novel therapeutics. The objectives of this study were to develop and further characterize a small intestinal monolayer cell culture derived from equine jejunum including establishing normal measurements of intestinal permeability and restitution.

Factors impacting target-enriched long-read sequencing of resistomes and mobilomes.

We investigated the efficiency of target-enriched long-read sequencing (TELSeq) for detecting antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) within complex matrices. We aimed to overcome limitations associated with traditional antimicrobial resistance (AMR) detection methods, including short-read shotgun metagenomics, which can lack sensitivity, specificity, and the ability to provide detailed genomic context. By combining biotinylated probe-based enrichment with long-read sequencing, we facilitated the amplification and sequencing of ARGs, eliminating the need for bioinformatic reconstruction.

Using Cognitive Task Analysis to Develop a Protocol for Teaching Ultrasound Pregnancy Diagnosis in the Bitch to Undergraduate Veterinary Students.

Pregnancy diagnosis in the bitch is routinely performed using ultrasound and is therefore an important skill for veterinarians to have been exposed to during undergraduate training. Proficiency of this skill is difficult to achieve, due to limited exposure to suitable live patients, and animal welfare considerations limiting repeated performance on the same bitch. Models have been beneficial in allowing undergraduates to perform a range of ultrasound techniques without the use of live animals.

The Effect of Repeated Review of Course Content on Medium- and Long-Term Retention in an Elective Veterinary Cardiology Course.

Assessment in veterinary medicine is challenging given the high volume of material and high cognitive load. Differing opinions exist regarding the utility of comprehensive final examinations in veterinary courses. A mixed-methods prospective randomized trial was undertaken with veterinary students ( = 47) in an elective cardiology course.

Differences in Sleep Quality and Sleepiness among Veterinary Medical Students at Multiple Institutions Before and After the Pandemic Induced Transition to Online Learning.

Poor sleep health has been previously documented in veterinary medical students. However, it is not known how universal or widespread this problem is. This study evaluated Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) scores to measure sleep health among students at seven colleges of veterinary medicine in the United States (US).